


Total Badass

by samuelbyrnes



Series: Paul Rovia Appreciation Week 2019 [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Paul Rovia Appreciation Week, Paul Rovia Appreciation Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 13:33:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17868194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/samuelbyrnes/pseuds/samuelbyrnes
Summary: The grenade was headed right for Daryl and Paul didn't think of the consequences before he was jumping forward and grabbing the grenade out of the air.For the Paul Rovia Appreciation Week 2019 over on Tumblr.





	Total Badass

**Author's Note:**

> Honesty Hour: I never read the comics (who has money for that? Not me), but I have seen some things floating around on Tumblr, so I figured that would be enough to give at least an attempt.

Maggie told him to wait, to stay with the group until it was safe to launch an attack. _A united front is a winning front_ , she told him. Paul nodded, appearing to agree with her, but then he was slipping away once her attention focused elsewhere. He'll definitely get an earful from her later.

Oh, well. 

He makes it inside the walls of Alexandria without being detected. He avoids anyone whose face is unfamiliar, sneaking by them through the shadows the houses make. He makes it near the center of the community, pressing himself against one of the houses as he peeks around the corner. In the clearing, he sees Negan, circling around Rick and Carl like some sort of hungry shark. Negan makes them both kneel then crouches in front of Rick, speaking directly to the man. Paul's watching the scene so intently that he startles bad when someone touches his arm. He spins, knife in hand, ready to hurt whoever it is, freezing when he sees Ezekiel behind him. 

"At ease, friend," Ezekiel murmurs. 

Paul blows out a breath, lowering the knife. "You have a reason for scaring me like that?" he asks. 

"Only to inform you of the plan," Ezekiel replies. "We strike before Negan can take out either of them." 

Paul raises a brow. "And when will that be?" 

"When he raises the bat to deliver the blow," Ezekiel replies. 

"Cryptic," Paul mumbles. 

He turns back to the scene. Negan was standing and circling the pair again, gesturing with his hands. He pauses in front of Rick, then circles around to stand behind Carl, face set. Paul runs out of his hiding spot when Negan yanks the hat off Carl's head and raises his bat over the kid's head. He tackles Negan just as he hears a tiger roar and someone screaming. Chaos erupts around him and there's no time to think. He dodges the elbow aiming for his face, dodges again as the bat whizzes past. He hears Negan curse as he manages a glancing blow to the other's cheek, then ducks when the bat whizzes past again. 

"Hold still so I can hit you," Negan spits, swinging the bat and missing again. 

"Now where would be the fun in that?" Paul asks with a grin. 

Negan grunts as they trade blows. "Got a mouth on you, too," he says. "How is it that no one's killed you yet?" 

Paul grabs the bat when it swings toward him again, grinning wider when Negan frowns. "Guess your people just have shitty aim," he says, then pushes the bat away, relishing the crack as it makes contact with Negan's face. 

Negan spits out a series of curses, glaring at Paul before turning and running. Paul frowns a bit as he watches the man run away, ducking reflexively when a gunshot rings out a bit too close to him. He then chooses to run after Negan, taking out his men as he goes. He's almost at the gates when something flying through the air catches his attention; a grenade, and it's aimed right for Daryl. Paul didn't think of the consequences before he was jumping forward and grabbing the grenade out of the air, spinning quick and lobbing it back at Negan's men. He spins back around when he hears Daryl make some sort of noise, grinning when he sees the wide-eyed look on the archer's face. The look is quickly replaced by a glare and Paul suddenly has Daryl in his personal space. 

"The hell were thinkin'?" he growls. 

"I wasn't, actually," Paul replies easily. "Just knew you couldn't get hurt." 

"Could-a blown yer hand off, asshole," Daryl says. 

Paul brings his hand up, wiggling the fingers. "But I didn't," he says. "Either way, it would've been worth it, I think. We can't loose you, Daryl." 

Paul watches emotions cross Daryl's face, tilting his head when his face settles on something between grief and frustration. 

"Can't loose you, too, Rovia," Daryl mumbles. 

Paul reaches out to cup Daryl's cheek, smiling softly when the other looks at him. "You won't loose me," he says. "I'm like a roach in that sense; you can't get rid of me, even if you want me gone." 

Daryl snorts and pulls away, shaking his head. "Should make sure the community's safe," he says. 

Paul nods. "Agreed." 

They scout the community together, conferring with others that the last of Negan and his men were gone, at least for now. It was one of many skirmishes to come, but Paul was confident they would come out of this victorious.

**Author's Note:**

> *shrugs helplessly* IDK, y'all.


End file.
